Bass wants to Return, Long Term.

[saltlover]

If Bass wants to stay here, he'll exercise his player option.  If it's a good fit, the Celtics will be able to sign him to a long-term deal in 2013.  If he decides to hit free agency this year, he might not get his wish to stay here (although he will get a nice deal from someone, and I wouldn't blame him.)

Also, regarding whether Boston is or isn't a great place to play: what do you expect Bass and Dooling to say?  They are both potentially low-to-mid-level free agents next year.  You can badmouth the city you're playing in if you know people are going to be lined up around the corner to offer you another contract, but otherwise you come off as selfish and conceited, and that's not a good thing if you're going to be the 4th-7th best player on whatever team you sign with.

I'm not saying that these guys are selfish and conceited.  I'm just saying they're not idiots, and are going to say good things about their current situations, because to do otherwise would be stupid.  So if they say "Boston is great" it might not mean "Boston is great."

[guava_wrench]

It is easy to say this when you are a bit player and contract negotiations have not begun.

Quis has been the guy who has really shown he wants to be here. Even after spells where he was mediocre and not getting many minutes and even after being traded, he keeps coming back.

I never got the sense that MD was turning down better offers elsewhere.

I agree with your point. There is nothing worth romanticizing in his loyalty.

If there is something worth romanticizing, it is Lebron and Bosh taking a pay cut to play in Miami.

To be fare though, there are team environments that are toxic and players don't want to stay there.

[Celtics18]

If Bass wants to stay here, he'll exercise his player option.  If it's a good fit, the Celtics will be able to sign him to a long-term deal in 2013.  If he decides to hit free agency this year, he might not get his wish to stay here (although he will get a nice deal from someone, and I wouldn't blame him.)

Also, regarding whether Boston is or isn't a great place to play: what do you expect Bass and Dooling to say?  They are both potentially low-to-mid-level free agents next year.  You can badmouth the city you're playing in if you know people are going to be lined up around the corner to offer you another contract, but otherwise you come off as selfish and conceited, and that's not a good thing if you're going to be the 4th-7th best player on whatever team you sign with.

I'm not saying that these guys are selfish and conceited.  I'm just saying they're not idiots, and are going to say good things about their current situations, because to do otherwise would be stupid.  So if they say "Boston is great" it might not mean "Boston is great."

I'm getting a real sense that these guys--Bass, Pietrus, Dooling, Wilcox--are really loving the experience of being Celtics.  I find it perfectly reasonable for a professional basketball player to feel this way about being a part of a team that has a special culture of winning and playing team basketball and one of the most established and best coaches in the league.

The meaning of Celtic pride seems to have found a renaissance during our recent surge.  National commentators are talking about it, stars from other teams are talking about it, our own journeymen are reveling in it, and our captain and our defensive leader are displaying it.

I don't know who'll end up here this off-season, but I'm pretty sure that this rekindled perception of the Celtics as a proud, storied, winning franchise can't hurt us.  

[LooseCannon]

Does anyone know how front loaded contracts work under the new CBA?

Under the previous CBA, contracts were limited to raises from year to year of 10.5% for Bird free agents and 8% for other free agents.  Contracts were also limited in how much they could decrease from year to year by the same percentage.  Under the new CBA, the percentages are down to 7.5% for Bird free agents and 4.5% for other free agents.  I assume the symmetry of the same limit on annual increases and decreases remains in effect.

So, you can't front-load contracts massively and the new CBA makes how much you can front-load contracts even less.

[FallGuy]

No interest. Cap flexibility is more valuable.

Seconded.

He'll opt out and be overpaid by someone else.

[dtrader]

If Bass wants to stay here, he'll exercise his player option.  If it's a good fit, the Celtics will be able to sign him to a long-term deal in 2013.  If he decides to hit free agency this year, he might not get his wish to stay here (although he will get a nice deal from someone, and I wouldn't blame him.)

Also, regarding whether Boston is or isn't a great place to play: what do you expect Bass and Dooling to say?  They are both potentially low-to-mid-level free agents next year.  You can badmouth the city you're playing in if you know people are going to be lined up around the corner to offer you another contract, but otherwise you come off as selfish and conceited, and that's not a good thing if you're going to be the 4th-7th best player on whatever team you sign with.

I'm not saying that these guys are selfish and conceited.  I'm just saying they're not idiots, and are going to say good things about their current situations, because to do otherwise would be stupid.  So if they say "Boston is great" it might not mean "Boston is great."

I'm getting a real sense that these guys--Bass, Pietrus, Dooling, Wilcox--are really loving the experience of being Celtics.  I find it perfectly reasonable for a professional basketball player to feel this way about being a part of a team that has a special culture of winning and playing team basketball and one of the most established and best coaches in the league.

The meaning of Celtic pride seems to have found a renaissance during our recent surge.  National commentators are talking about it, stars from other teams are talking about it, our own journeymen are reveling in it, and our captain and our defensive leader are displaying it.

I don't know who'll end up here this off-season, but I'm pretty sure that this rekindled perception of the Celtics as a proud, storied, winning franchise can't hurt us.  

The same comments are made every year.  Honestly, it's not even specific to our team.  When a player is asked "how do you like playing where youre currently playing?"  They say..."I love it", "the organization is great", "I love the leadership on this team", "the coaches and fans have really made me feel at home", etc.  When a team comes back from a deficit to win what do they say? ...."They played great team ball".  "They never gave up".  "They played with pride, and toughness".  "It says a lot about their organization".  These quotes might as well be taken out of the "athlete media responses for dummies" handbook.  I really think theyre taught this stuff as part of their rookie media orientation.  Last year people had all the same great things to say about us.  Then this off season came around, and we were repeatedly left in the cold.  It was all just words.

What matters is actions.  What players decide to sign with us.  What free agents publicly state that we are on the list of teams they'd like to play for.  What players exercise their player options and risk leaving money on the table to stay with us.  Thats all that matters. 

[Celtics18]

If Bass wants to stay here, he'll exercise his player option.  If it's a good fit, the Celtics will be able to sign him to a long-term deal in 2013.  If he decides to hit free agency this year, he might not get his wish to stay here (although he will get a nice deal from someone, and I wouldn't blame him.)

Also, regarding whether Boston is or isn't a great place to play: what do you expect Bass and Dooling to say?  They are both potentially low-to-mid-level free agents next year.  You can badmouth the city you're playing in if you know people are going to be lined up around the corner to offer you another contract, but otherwise you come off as selfish and conceited, and that's not a good thing if you're going to be the 4th-7th best player on whatever team you sign with.

I'm not saying that these guys are selfish and conceited.  I'm just saying they're not idiots, and are going to say good things about their current situations, because to do otherwise would be stupid.  So if they say "Boston is great" it might not mean "Boston is great."

I'm getting a real sense that these guys--Bass, Pietrus, Dooling, Wilcox--are really loving the experience of being Celtics.  I find it perfectly reasonable for a professional basketball player to feel this way about being a part of a team that has a special culture of winning and playing team basketball and one of the most established and best coaches in the league.

The meaning of Celtic pride seems to have found a renaissance during our recent surge.  National commentators are talking about it, stars from other teams are talking about it, our own journeymen are reveling in it, and our captain and our defensive leader are displaying it.

I don't know who'll end up here this off-season, but I'm pretty sure that this rekindled perception of the Celtics as a proud, storied, winning franchise can't hurt us.  

The same comments are made every year.  Honestly, it's not even specific to our team.  When a player is asked "how do you like playing where youre currently playing?"  They say..."I love it", "the organization is great", "I love the leadership on this team", "the coaches and fans have really made me feel at home", etc.  When a team comes back from a deficit to win what do they say? ...."They played great team ball".  "They never gave up".  "They played with pride, and toughness".  "It says a lot about their organization".  These quotes might as well be taken out of the "athlete media responses for dummies" handbook.  I really think theyre taught this stuff as part of their rookie media orientation.  Last year people had all the same great things to say about us.  Then this off season came around, and we were repeatedly left in the cold.  It was all just words.

What matters is actions.  What players decide to sign with us.  What free agents publicly state that we are on the list of teams they'd like to play for.  What players exercise their player options and risk leaving money on the table to stay with us.  Thats all that matters. 

Rasheed Wallace, Shaquille O'Neal, Mickael Pietrus, Rajon Rondo, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen just to name a few recent players who chose to sign, re-sign, or extend with the Boston Celtics.

 

[manl_lui]

if only he convinces Dwight to come to Boston

[dtrader]

If Bass wants to stay here, he'll exercise his player option.  If it's a good fit, the Celtics will be able to sign him to a long-term deal in 2013.  If he decides to hit free agency this year, he might not get his wish to stay here (although he will get a nice deal from someone, and I wouldn't blame him.)

Also, regarding whether Boston is or isn't a great place to play: what do you expect Bass and Dooling to say?  They are both potentially low-to-mid-level free agents next year.  You can badmouth the city you're playing in if you know people are going to be lined up around the corner to offer you another contract, but otherwise you come off as selfish and conceited, and that's not a good thing if you're going to be the 4th-7th best player on whatever team you sign with.

I'm not saying that these guys are selfish and conceited.  I'm just saying they're not idiots, and are going to say good things about their current situations, because to do otherwise would be stupid.  So if they say "Boston is great" it might not mean "Boston is great."

I'm getting a real sense that these guys--Bass, Pietrus, Dooling, Wilcox--are really loving the experience of being Celtics.  I find it perfectly reasonable for a professional basketball player to feel this way about being a part of a team that has a special culture of winning and playing team basketball and one of the most established and best coaches in the league.

The meaning of Celtic pride seems to have found a renaissance during our recent surge.  National commentators are talking about it, stars from other teams are talking about it, our own journeymen are reveling in it, and our captain and our defensive leader are displaying it.

I don't know who'll end up here this off-season, but I'm pretty sure that this rekindled perception of the Celtics as a proud, storied, winning franchise can't hurt us.  

The same comments are made every year.  Honestly, it's not even specific to our team.  When a player is asked "how do you like playing where youre currently playing?"  They say..."I love it", "the organization is great", "I love the leadership on this team", "the coaches and fans have really made me feel at home", etc.  When a team comes back from a deficit to win what do they say? ...."They played great team ball".  "They never gave up".  "They played with pride, and toughness".  "It says a lot about their organization".  These quotes might as well be taken out of the "athlete media responses for dummies" handbook.  I really think theyre taught this stuff as part of their rookie media orientation.  Last year people had all the same great things to say about us.  Then this off season came around, and we were repeatedly left in the cold.  It was all just words.

What matters is actions.  What players decide to sign with us.  What free agents publicly state that we are on the list of teams they'd like to play for.  What players exercise their player options and risk leaving money on the table to stay with us.  Thats all that matters. 

Rasheed Wallace, Shaquille O'Neal, Mickael Pietrus, Rajon Rondo, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen just to name a few recent players who chose to sign, re-sign, or extend with the Boston Celtics.

 

Right, so basically a bunch of mid 30's players on the downside of their careers....One with a history of altercations that would turn other teams off.  One who would go anywhere for a chance at a ring, one coming off knee surgery that would scare off other teams, one with a sick kid that is dependent on living in a city with top notch medical facilities, and 2 guys that have never played anywhere else.  That list really doesn't counter my point. 

[Celtics18]

If Bass wants to stay here, he'll exercise his player option.  If it's a good fit, the Celtics will be able to sign him to a long-term deal in 2013.  If he decides to hit free agency this year, he might not get his wish to stay here (although he will get a nice deal from someone, and I wouldn't blame him.)

Also, regarding whether Boston is or isn't a great place to play: what do you expect Bass and Dooling to say?  They are both potentially low-to-mid-level free agents next year.  You can badmouth the city you're playing in if you know people are going to be lined up around the corner to offer you another contract, but otherwise you come off as selfish and conceited, and that's not a good thing if you're going to be the 4th-7th best player on whatever team you sign with.

I'm not saying that these guys are selfish and conceited.  I'm just saying they're not idiots, and are going to say good things about their current situations, because to do otherwise would be stupid.  So if they say "Boston is great" it might not mean "Boston is great."

I'm getting a real sense that these guys--Bass, Pietrus, Dooling, Wilcox--are really loving the experience of being Celtics.  I find it perfectly reasonable for a professional basketball player to feel this way about being a part of a team that has a special culture of winning and playing team basketball and one of the most established and best coaches in the league.

The meaning of Celtic pride seems to have found a renaissance during our recent surge.  National commentators are talking about it, stars from other teams are talking about it, our own journeymen are reveling in it, and our captain and our defensive leader are displaying it.

I don't know who'll end up here this off-season, but I'm pretty sure that this rekindled perception of the Celtics as a proud, storied, winning franchise can't hurt us.  

The same comments are made every year.  Honestly, it's not even specific to our team.  When a player is asked "how do you like playing where youre currently playing?"  They say..."I love it", "the organization is great", "I love the leadership on this team", "the coaches and fans have really made me feel at home", etc.  When a team comes back from a deficit to win what do they say? ...."They played great team ball".  "They never gave up".  "They played with pride, and toughness".  "It says a lot about their organization".  These quotes might as well be taken out of the "athlete media responses for dummies" handbook.  I really think theyre taught this stuff as part of their rookie media orientation.  Last year people had all the same great things to say about us.  Then this off season came around, and we were repeatedly left in the cold.  It was all just words.

What matters is actions.  What players decide to sign with us.  What free agents publicly state that we are on the list of teams they'd like to play for.  What players exercise their player options and risk leaving money on the table to stay with us.  Thats all that matters. 

Rasheed Wallace, Shaquille O'Neal, Mickael Pietrus, Rajon Rondo, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen just to name a few recent players who chose to sign, re-sign, or extend with the Boston Celtics.

 

Right, so basically a bunch of mid 30's players on the downside of their careers....One with a history of altercations that would turn other teams off.  One who would go anywhere for a chance at a ring, one coming off knee surgery that would scare off other teams, one with a sick kid that is dependent on living in a city with top notch medical facilities, and 2 guys that have never played anywhere else.  That list really doesn't counter my point. 

I think we'll be able to get some good players here for our rebuild this off-season.  It probably won't be the one big name out there.  In truth, that's fine with me. 

I'm just getting amused at the sense of self-pity about our team by a lot of the fans.  We have one of the most successful, biggest brand name, richest franchises in all of sports, yet we are convinced that we are seen as some kind of little, struggling podunk outfit that no one in their right mind would want to play for.

Fine, believe that.  But, don't say I'm the one not looking squarely at reality.

[dtrader]

If Bass wants to stay here, he'll exercise his player option.  If it's a good fit, the Celtics will be able to sign him to a long-term deal in 2013.  If he decides to hit free agency this year, he might not get his wish to stay here (although he will get a nice deal from someone, and I wouldn't blame him.)

Also, regarding whether Boston is or isn't a great place to play: what do you expect Bass and Dooling to say?  They are both potentially low-to-mid-level free agents next year.  You can badmouth the city you're playing in if you know people are going to be lined up around the corner to offer you another contract, but otherwise you come off as selfish and conceited, and that's not a good thing if you're going to be the 4th-7th best player on whatever team you sign with.

I'm not saying that these guys are selfish and conceited.  I'm just saying they're not idiots, and are going to say good things about their current situations, because to do otherwise would be stupid.  So if they say "Boston is great" it might not mean "Boston is great."

I'm getting a real sense that these guys--Bass, Pietrus, Dooling, Wilcox--are really loving the experience of being Celtics.  I find it perfectly reasonable for a professional basketball player to feel this way about being a part of a team that has a special culture of winning and playing team basketball and one of the most established and best coaches in the league.

The meaning of Celtic pride seems to have found a renaissance during our recent surge.  National commentators are talking about it, stars from other teams are talking about it, our own journeymen are reveling in it, and our captain and our defensive leader are displaying it.

I don't know who'll end up here this off-season, but I'm pretty sure that this rekindled perception of the Celtics as a proud, storied, winning franchise can't hurt us.  

The same comments are made every year.  Honestly, it's not even specific to our team.  When a player is asked "how do you like playing where youre currently playing?"  They say..."I love it", "the organization is great", "I love the leadership on this team", "the coaches and fans have really made me feel at home", etc.  When a team comes back from a deficit to win what do they say? ...."They played great team ball".  "They never gave up".  "They played with pride, and toughness".  "It says a lot about their organization".  These quotes might as well be taken out of the "athlete media responses for dummies" handbook.  I really think theyre taught this stuff as part of their rookie media orientation.  Last year people had all the same great things to say about us.  Then this off season came around, and we were repeatedly left in the cold.  It was all just words.

What matters is actions.  What players decide to sign with us.  What free agents publicly state that we are on the list of teams they'd like to play for.  What players exercise their player options and risk leaving money on the table to stay with us.  Thats all that matters. 

Rasheed Wallace, Shaquille O'Neal, Mickael Pietrus, Rajon Rondo, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen just to name a few recent players who chose to sign, re-sign, or extend with the Boston Celtics.

 

Right, so basically a bunch of mid 30's players on the downside of their careers....One with a history of altercations that would turn other teams off.  One who would go anywhere for a chance at a ring, one coming off knee surgery that would scare off other teams, one with a sick kid that is dependent on living in a city with top notch medical facilities, and 2 guys that have never played anywhere else.  That list really doesn't counter my point. 

I think we'll be able to get some good players here for our rebuild this off-season.  It probably won't be the one big name out there.  In truth, that's fine with me. 

I'm just getting amused at the sense of self-pity about our team by a lot of the fans.  We have one of the most successful, biggest brand name, richest franchises in all of sports, yet we are convinced that we are seen as some kind of little, struggling podunk outfit that no one in their right mind would want to play for.

Fine, believe that.  But, don't say I'm the one not looking squarely at reality.

I think people just frame reality a bit differently.  We are a big market, and one of the most successful teams in the past 4 years.  But like you just illustrated with your list...our success is built on the old.  There's nothing fresh or geared towards the future about our team as it is now.

I dont think many 25 year old players think that highly of joining a team dominated by 35 year old players, and I dont think employees of any company should be expected to have anything but glowing public comments to make about their current employers.

[Celtics18]

"I think people just frame reality a bit differently.  We are a big market, and one of the most successful teams in the past 4 years.  But like you just illustrated with your list...our success is built on the old.  There's nothing fresh or geared towards the future about our team as it is now.

I dont think many 25 year old players think that highly of joining a team dominated by 35 year old players, and I dont think employees of any company should be expected to have anything but glowing public comments to make about their current employers."

[/quote]

I think we do frame reality a bit differently.  It seems that for you when players are directly quoted as talking about wanting to play for or stay with the Boston Celtics, they are just blowing smoke, but when twittering mind readers claim to know where players want to go without giving any substantiated quotes, it's the gospel truth.